LETTER XII

FRIBOURG.

My dear Sir,

THE canton of Fribourg is
aristocratical, not having more than forty families, who can have any part in
the government. These all live very nobly; that is to say, without commerce,
manufactures, or trades.

The sovereignty and legislative authority resides in the council of two
hundred persons, composed of the two avoyers, who are for life; twenty-two
counsellors; four bannerets; sixty other counsellors, from whom the twenty-four
who compose the senate, in which resides the executive power, are taken when
they are to be replaced; and one hundred and twelve others, whom they call the
grand senate of two hundred.

The two avoyers are elected by the plurality of suffrages of all the
citizens. They hold their offices for life, and preside alternately a year. The
twenty-two counsellors are also for life, and are designated by lot, as well as
the bannerets, whose charges continue but three years. The sixty also are
nominated by lot, and are drawn from the hundred and twelve, called the two
hundred. There last come forward in the state by the presentation and
nomination of the secret chamber, composed of twenty-four besides the
bannerets, who are the chiefs of it. This chamber, which is sovereign, besides
the right of nomination to the state, has alone that of correction, and of
proposing regulations.

The two avoyers, the twenty-two counsellors, and the four bannerets, form
the little senate, which hears and determines civil causes, and assembles every
day.

The affairs of state are carried before the grand senate of two hundred.

The tribes are corporations of tradesmen, who have no part in government,
and who assemble in their abbays, only for the affairs of their occupations,
and all their statutes are approved or rejected by the senate.

There are thirty-one bailiwicks subject to this canton. The method of
determining the members of the little senate and secret council is another
check. The names of the candidates in nomination are placed in a box,
containing as many partitions as there are persons: the ballots are thrown into
this box by the electors, without knowing how the names are placed; and the
candidate whose name occupies the division, which receives by accident the most
ballots, has the lot. This is to guard against the influence of families; for,
among those few families from which alone any candidate can be taken, some have
more influence than others. The canton contains sixty-six thousand souls. Its
land produces good pasture, some corn, and little wine; it has no commerce, and
not much literature. It has more troops in foreign service than any other
canton in proportion. As the rivers and lakes have a direct communication with
the sea, they might have a valuable commerce; but as none of the persons
concerned in government can be merchants, no commerce can ever be in fashion,
except that of their noble blood to foreign sovereigns. It is no doubt much to
the honour of their fidelity and valour to be chosen so generally to be the
life-guards of princes; but whether they can vindicate such a traffic, upon
principles of justice, humanity, or policy, or from the imputation of a more
mercenary spirit than that of ordinary commerce, is for them to consider. The
conservation of the oligarchy is entirely owing however to this custom: for a
youthful fiery nobility, at home in idleness, would necessarily become
ambitious of popularity, and either procure, by intrigues and insurrections, a
greater share of importance to the people, or set up one of the greatest genius
and enterprize among them for a despot. In foreign service they exhaust their
restless years, and return, after the deaths of their fathers, fatigued with
dissipation, to enjoy their honours and estates; to support those laws which
are so partial to their wishes; and to re-assume the manly simplicity of
manners of their native country.